(Richmond, VA) - Ed Gillespie has received the endorsement of the Virginia Retail Merchants Association (VRMA), the premier trade association for the retail community across Virginia. "VRMA is pleased to endorse Ed Gillespie for Governor. Working at the family store, he could not help but learn about retailers' daily concerns," said VRMA's long-standing Executive Director Laurie Aldrich. "A new administration led by Mr. Gillespie will make it easier to survive and thrive as a brick and mortar retailer."

Aldrich continues, "VRMA and the free enterprise system go hand in hand. Ed has outlined his vision to grow Virginia's economy and protect Virginia's free enterprise policies. While VRMA may not agree with his position on raising Virginia's larceny threshold, we wholeheartedly support Ed's tangible plans to reform Virginia's regulatory climate, streamline business formation, and reform occupational licensing. We stand ready to help Mr. Gillespie in his efforts to remove barriers to job creation for all Virginians."

Speaking about the endorsement, Ed Gillespie said, "I grew up in a small business -- our family grocery store. In my family, when you turned twelve years old, you got a birthday cake, a present, and a four-hour shift at the JC Market. I learned the value of hard work there and understand the challenges small businesses face. I am committed to making it easier to start and grow a small business in Virginia, and I have put forward policies to provide much-needed tax relief, reform Virginia's regulatory climate, and spur economic growth. I am proud to accept the endorsement of the Virginia Retail Merchants Association and look forward to working with them as governor."

VRMA's Director of Government Affairs Petrina Jones adds, "Retailers spend too much time fighting excessive regulations instead of expanding and creating jobs. We support Ed's plan to speed up local tax reform by effectuation of a sunset of the BPOL tax, the machinery and tools tax, and the merchants' capital tax."

VRMA is a non-profit trade association, formed in 1905 to improve the business climate for all retailers across Virginia.

Please discuss these topics with your business colleagues and encourage their vote for Ed Gillespie for Virginia Governor. We are hearing that it will be a tight race. This election is extremely important for Virginia's retail industry.

Here are reasons why:

Candidate Ed Gillespie discussed his plans for the port region including deepening the port to 55 feet. We agree that Virginia's port must stay competitive.

Mr. Gillespie has proposed plans to reform BPOL, Merchants' Capital and Machinery & Tools tax policies. VRMA has advocated this for many years.

Additionally, he talked with VRMA representatives about working to eliminate accelerated sales tax payments permanently. He agrees that it is a totally unfair practice and does not approve of misleading the public on Virginia's finances by using accelerated sales tax payments to "appear" to balance the budget. Our state’s industry needs a chief executive that understands the negative impacts of over-regulating businesses. Mr. Gillespie has a plan to address federal over-reach which we strongly support. It includes repurposing the goals of a liaison office in Washington, D.C. called Virginia Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to focus on lobbying Capitol Hill and federal agencies to repeal excessive regulations impacting Virginia businesses. The office’s proposed new title is the Virginia Office of Federalism.

The alternative, Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, has stated he supports raising from $200 to $1500 the grand larceny threshold on shoplifters and organized retail criminals which equals a 650% increase. He supports raising minimum wage, mandating paid family leave, allowing localities to mandate wage levels from subcontractors and he opposes Virginia's right-to-work status. He is endorsed by the labor unions.

To accomplish VRMA's goals in Richmond we need Ed. We are concerned that without Ed the next four years could result in stagnation of job creation and weakening of Virginia's business-friendly climate.